I’M totally against what Mick McCarthy did in midweek, when he fielded such a weakened team against Manchester United.

For me it undermines the importance of the Premier League, not only in this country but across the world where it is so popular.

Anything which detracts from the reputation of the Premier League as the best is unfortunate. Mick says he was resting them for their game with Burnley, but I’d like to see what odds Burnley are to win now.

The situation with the team that David Moyes had to put out last night was totally different.

He has put out strong teams in every game during the Europa League and that was the only sensible option for him with a Premier League game at the weekend.

For the young lads who played it would have been amazing.

I was 16 when I made my debut for Preston against Newcastle, the team I supported then. We got a draw and I did okay.

My Everton debut against Southampton didn’t go quite as smoothly.

I’d had to wait for it and I was full of nerves and tension. In the end I had a nightmare.

That’s why it helped the young boys last night that there were a few of them.

They wouldn’t have been as nervous as if it was just one individual.

Equally they probably weren’t expecting to play all week so didn’t have much time to get worked up.